A pair of undefeated pacers will put their respective streaks on the line when the Maine Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and Scarborough Downs present the richest day of the Maine Harness Racing season. The 2005 Breeders Stakes Finals for 2-year-old pacers and trotters will take place at Scarborough Downs on Sunday, Sept. 11. More than $100,000 in purse monies will be on the line, and post time is 3:30 P.M.
The races to be held Sunday are the championship events for the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes. The program, which began in 1974, is designed to entice Standardbred horses to be bred and raised in the state of Maine. These two year old pacers and trotters, in their first year of racing, have competed in eight preliminary races held throughout the state during the summer racing season. The top eight horses in each of the four divisions earned their berths into the finals and now they vie for the top spot of honor and prestige of being the best “baby” in Maine.
Among the headliners for Sunday’s card is Pembroke Touch. Owned by William Varney of Bangor, Pembroke Touch has scored eight victories in eight starts in the legs raced over the past two months, and will undoubtedly be the favorite in the division for pacing colts. Another Varney owned colt, Pembroke Deluxe, and Wounded Soldier, owned by Peter Hanley of Randolph, were also among the top performers in that class.
The division for pacing fillies is also led by an undefeated freshman. Landmark Precious recorded seven victories in as many MSBS starts this summer, including a twenty-plus length victory in her last appearance at Windsor. Landmark Precious will be challenged by several consistent performers including Ariel, owned by Don and Linda Marean of Hollis; CK’s Dragon, owned by the East Pond Stable of Oakland; and Edain, owned Anthony Sivik of Orono and the KDK Standardbreds of Cumberland.
Pop N Paula enters the final event for trotting fillies with seven wins in eight starts. Owned by Sheridan Smith of West Farmington, Pop N Paula came within a neck of an undefeated season of her own. Bad Girl Josie, owned by Doug Hutchins of Lyman, scored the only other victory of the summer in this division. E Louise, owned by Sandra and David Hall of South Berwick, has also been improving heading into this week’s lucrative final.
In the final for trotting colts, Miles Moving appears the sharpest, with three victories in four local starts since shipping to Maine for owners Susan and John Muldoon of Marblehead Mass. Two other freshman trotters also scored multiple victories in this division in 2005. Forward Momentum, owned by Michael Andrew of Gorham, and Pembroke Fox, another two year old owned by Bill Varney.
The exact make up of each field will be determined Thursday morning when trainers officially enter their horses and the post positions are then drawn in the Scarborough Downs racing office.
The Downs Club Restaurant will be open for a buffet lunch beginning at 2:30 pm. Cost is $12.95 per person.
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